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Yahweh Appears to Abraham

18 Then (A)Yahweh appeared to him by the [a](B)oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day. And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three (C)men were standing nearby; he saw, and he ran from the tent door to meet them, and he bowed himself to the earth, and he said, “[b]My Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please do not [c]pass Your servant by. Please let a little water be brought and (D)wash your feet, and [d]rest yourselves under the tree; and let me [e](E)bring a piece of bread, that you may [f]refresh your hearts; after that you may pass on, since in such a manner you have passed by your servant.” And they said, “So you shall do, as you have said.” So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “[g]Hurry, prepare [h]three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and make bread cakes.” Abraham also ran to the herd and took a tender and [i]choice calf and gave it to his young man, and he hurried to prepare it. Then he took curds and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and placed it before them; and he was standing by them under the tree, and they ate.

Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” 10 And He said, “(F)I will surely return to you [j]at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door which was behind him. 11 Now (G)Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was (H)past [k]childbearing. 12 And Sarah laughed [l]to herself, saying, “(I)After I am worn out, shall I have pleasure, my (J)lord being old also?” 13 And Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I indeed [m]bear a son, when I am so old?’ 14 (K)Is anything too [n]difficult for Yahweh? At the (L)appointed time I will return to you, [o]at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” 15 Then Sarah denied it however, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 18:1 Or terebinths
  2. Genesis 18:3 Or O Lord
  3. Genesis 18:3 Lit pass away from Your servant
  4. Genesis 18:4 Lit support
  5. Genesis 18:5 Lit take
  6. Genesis 18:5 Lit sustain your heart
  7. Genesis 18:6 Lit Hasten 3 measures
  8. Genesis 18:6 Approx. 21 qt. or 23 l, a seah was approx. 7 qt. or 7.7 l
  9. Genesis 18:7 Lit good
  10. Genesis 18:10 Lit when the time revives
  11. Genesis 18:11 Lit the manner of women
  12. Genesis 18:12 Lit within
  13. Genesis 18:13 Lit surely bear
  14. Genesis 18:14 Or marvelous
  15. Genesis 18:14 Lit when the time revives

The Three Visitors

18 The Lord appeared to Abraham(A) near the great trees of Mamre(B) while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent(C) in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up(D) and saw three men(E) standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.(F)

He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes,(G) my lord,[a] do not pass your servant(H) by. Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet(I) and rest under this tree. Let me get you something to eat,(J) so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.”

“Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”

So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs[b] of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.”(K)

Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf(L) and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. He then brought some curds(M) and milk(N) and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them.(O) While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.

“Where is your wife Sarah?”(P) they asked him.

“There, in the tent,(Q)” he said.

10 Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year,(R) and Sarah your wife will have a son.”(S)

Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. 11 Abraham and Sarah were already very old,(T) and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.(U) 12 So Sarah laughed(V) to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord(W) is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’(X) 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord?(Y) I will return to you at the appointed time next year,(Z) and Sarah will have a son.”(AA)

15 Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”

But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 18:3 Or eyes, Lord
  2. Genesis 18:6 That is, probably about 36 pounds or about 16 kilograms